Reference Librarians Are Ready to Help You with Your Research

As assignments begin to accumulate, now is the time to contact the reference staff at the Law Library for legal research assistance. Our friendly and experienced staff can help you to refine your research and locate library material.
Here are just a few of the many ways in which we can assist you:
• Interpret a citation and locate material, such as a case, article, or government document
• Locate a book that you can't find in the MadCat Library Catalog
• Refine your search in MadCat or a periodicals database
• Provide advice on what treatise, database, etc. may best provide information on your topic
• Provide quick tips or point of need training in a legal database
You can contact the reference staff in one of four ways: In person, by phone, by email and via Instant Messaging or chat.
Reference assistance is available:
• Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
• Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Weekends from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
In Person
One of the best ways to get research help is to consult with a librarian in person at the Reference Desk. The Reference Desk is located just inside the entrance of the Law Library across from the Circulation Desk. Although we welcome your questions by email, phone or IM/chat, in person consultations allow us provide a deeper level of assistance. For example, we can ask you questions to learn exactly what it is that you need or we can instruct you on how to conduct a database search. Cite checkers should be aware that showing us a troublesome citation in context of the original article helps us track it down more quickly.
Phone, Email, and IM/Chat
If speaking to us in person isn't an option, we invite you to contact us by email, phone or IM/chat. These methods are ideal for quick questions which we usually can answer right away. Note that more detailed questions may require that we get back to you.
You can phone the reference staff at (608)262-3394, or email us at askuwlaw@law.wisc.edu. With IM/chat, our newest reference service, you can instantly connect with reference staff online. Simply use the chat box on our home page (http://library.law.wisc.edu) or add our buddy name (below) to your IM contacts list:
• AIM: AskUWLaw
• Yahoo: AskUWLaw
• MSN: AskUWLaw@law.wisc.edu
• ICQ: 204333744
To help you remember our contact information, we've created business cards which you can keep in your rolodex or wallet, as well as stickers which you can put on your notebooks or laptops. You can pick up as many as you need at the reference desk.